


The Smell of Smoke

by orphan_account



Category: One Direction
Genre: Angst, Character Death, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-01
Updated: 2012-01-01
Packaged: 2017-11-20 16:18:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/587325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Louis’ dad owns a factory and Harry works there and everything is fine until it’s not. Industrial Revolution!AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Smell of Smoke

The city of Manchester was coated in pollution, the steam engine running from the inlands of Manchester to the ports of Liverpool created loud disruptive sounds in the background, but Louis was fourteen, ignorant, and happy.

Life for Louis had never been hard. His dad had provided everything for him, practically rolling Louis in money since he was just a child (which he wasn’t anymore, Louis would protest, “I’m a teenager dad!”). Louis’ dad owned a milling factory, one of the biggest in Manchester, and Louis was so proud of him. His “daddy” had worked so hard to get where he was just so he could support Louis’ mom, him and his sisters. But part of Louis always worried. His mom always said working in a factory was a dangerous job. People got killed regularly and so Louis clung to his dad in fear. He didn’t want to lose his dad. 

So wherever his dad went, Louis would follow. He even tried going to the factory once, but Louis dad had told him it would be too dangerous, only heightening Louis’ constant fear of losing him.

But he was fourteen now. He was old enough. He was a teenager. He was brave. He wouldn’t get hurt in the factory if his dad hadn’t so far. 

So he begged and begged and his dad reluctantly agreed, telling him to stay close to him at all times and to never leave his sight.

With his dad’s warning fading to the back of his mind, Louis followed closely, clinging to his father, to the factory, a rush of excitement mixed with fear entering his entire being. Each step he took towards the factory was another step closer to his dad. He would finally get to see what his dad’s life was like. 

The sheer enormity of the factory mirrored the wide eyes of the fourteen year old boy when he finally stepped foot in the factory. A tall, quiffed man waved to Louis’ father, a signal for his father to come over. Louis followed quickly in suit but found himself being looked down upon by the said man.

“Who is this, Mr. Tomlinson?” the man asked, arching an eyebrow, “Should he be working the machines?”

A flash a fear spread across his dad’s face, “Oh no no. This is my son, Louis. Louis, this is Zayn, my business partner. Louis just stopped by to see how the factory works. That’s all.” He patted Louis on the head as Louis smiled and nodded, overjoyed that his dad was showing him attention. 

“Ah how nice,” Zayn said brushing off the subject, “Anyways, good news, sir, our milling factory is expanding. More workers are coming just in case these ones fail to do our job. I see no threat for us in the future.”

Louis’ dad smiled, but this time it was directed at Zayn, and Louis felt a pang of jealousy; he came here to spend time with his dad, not to have his dad talk to someone else. Unable to make a comment, Louis remained silent, listening. They drawled on about subject foreign and boring to Louis, so his mind wondered. His eyes grazed the machines, each of them, clanking loudly, but Louis seemed to enjoy the sound. He demised the pungent smell entering his nose, still only looking at the machinery, paying no attention the pained, frail, fragile and sweaty faces working them.

The machines were much more interesting to him than the people working there, until curls caught his eyes. Brown elegant curls covered in soot and sweat belonging to a small boy who looked a bit younger than himself, and Louis was enthralled with the idea of the boy the second after he saw him. 

(xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)

Louis never talked to the mysterious curly haired boy working the machine the other day, not wanting to disobey his father’s words, but that didn’t stop him from staring at the boy. Everyday Louis had convinced his dad to take him to the factory, saying he just wanted to see how it worked and like a fool, his father believed him.

He saw the sweat trickle down the boy’s chin every time he worked. He saw the boy wipe his forehead every time the heat in the building got too much and he saw the tears that remained on the brim of the boy’s eyes throughout the entire day. 

He watched the woman next to the boy’s machine look at him with worry; Louis assumed it was the boy’s mom as his mom shot him those same looks at home. He watched the boy’s gentle, pained smile back at her, his dimples the sole focus of Louis’ eyes and he watched their synchronized sighs before continuing their work. 

The first time Louis got the courage to talk to the boy was five days after he first came to the factory, just mumbling a simple, “Hi. I’m Louis,” to which the boy curtly responded, “Harry.” It didn’t seem like much; it was just a name, but to Louis, the name meant everything. He never had gotten to know anyone’s name out of his own will and he was happy again, happier than he had every been, because the boy wasn’t the mysterious factory worker anymore, he was Harry. 

And to a fourteen year old Louis, Harry was perfect.

(xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)

The next couple days, whilst his dad chatted to his business partners, Louis snuck off to watch Harry, rambling about himself to him. He learned that Harry wasn’t much of a talker, in fact he rarely talked at all. Louis didn’t mind though, because Harry was still Harry and he wasn’t just the boy that worked at his dad’s factory anymore. 

Harry would occasionally say a word, and his occasional word soon grew into sentences, and Louis was happy. He learned Harry was twelve and had been working in the factory since he was seven. Harry’s mom, Anne, was in fact the woman who sat at the machine next to Harry’s. And Harry had always dreamed of escaping the factory life and moving to a rural countryside, but knew he never could because his family needed the money. Louis was shocked at how much Harry had known about his family’s wealth, when he, over two years older, knew next to nothing, only that he could get whatever he wanted if he asked. 

“Harry,” Louis smiled one day, approaching Harry’s machine, “tonight, let’s hang out. You and me, with none of these hideous factory machines! How about around 8 at night right outside the factory. There’s a couple trees we can play on a couple streets from here?” 

Anne sent Harry a glance, biting her lip, as Harry found himself reluctantly nodding, “Sure, Lou.”

Harry’s little lie seemed to light up Louis’ world, because Louis grinned the largest grin Harry had ever seen, restricting the urge to hug him, “Thanks Haz! I have to go so my dad doesn’t notice I’m gone and start to worry. But see you later!” 

Except Louis never saw him later.

Harry never showed. 

The grin that had lingered on Louis’ face since he last spoke to Harry faded and he felt tears strike his eyes, but he pushed them back, just as he had seen Harry do everyday in the factory. Everyday before he met Louis; Louis painfully smiled. 

Louis tried to keep hope. Maybe Harry got sick. Maybe Harry’s mom wouldn’t let him go.

Or maybe Harry just didn’t like him.

He thought Harry had actually liked him enough to show up. He thought Harry could be his best friend, that they could actually talk outside the factory, that Louis could finally have someone he actually felt knew him. 

His thoughts were only confirmed when he accompanied his dad to the factory the next day and Harry was there, looking exactly the same, a bit more worn out though, working on his machine, with his mom near him. Desperate for answers, Louis came out to him, causing Harry to jump a bit in shock, quite literally almost losing a body part to the machine, though Louis didn’t notice.

His voice took on an angry tone, “Where were you yesterday Harry? I waited for you. I waited so long.”

Harry flinched, his eyes looking glassy, and bluntly stated “I was working.”

Louis’ felt his angry rise, “Don’t lie to me!” he lowered his voice so he wouldn’t cause a scene, “Why would you be working that late, Haz! My dad gets off work at five, so you should’ve too.”

Harry snarled, looking older than a twelve year old, turning away from his machine, “Look Louis, some of us aren’t as privileged as your dad, okay? Some of us have to work 16 hour shifts on minimum wage to barely get on by. We aren’t like you, Lou. We don’t get what we want. We work. Working in this factory is all I ever known and it’s probably all I ever will know. That’s just the way it is. You take what you can get.”

The shock of Harry’s words cut Louis like a knife. Did Harry really not live as nicely as he did? Did he not get the new games whenever he wanted? Did he even get food? “Harry,” his voice dripped with sympathy, “I didn’t know.”

“I didn’t expect you to,” and with that, Harry turned again, facing the machine, continuing his work, ignoring Louis’ presence.

But Louis didn’t leave; he wouldn’t. 

He watched Harry with the same eyes he had almost two weeks ago; this time, noting that Harry had no time to enjoy his childhood; he was forced to be an adult from the tender age of seven. He imagined Harry first coming into the factory at the age of seven, small and innocent, staring at all the machines, just as Louis did before, growing a year older with every sound he heard and every step he took into the factory. Louis just prayed Harry would be alright, because, Louis hated admitting this, but he was scared, and for the first time, for someone other than his dad. 

(xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)

The proceeding days fell back into Louis’ old pattern of observing Harry and not talking to him. He was sure Harry sensed he was there, and Louis hoped that provided some comfort, but he knew even that wasn’t enough for Harry. The only communication Harry had seemed to have in the factory was to his mom, and perviously, to Louis. Now all he had was his mom, and Louis knew that could grow irritating at some point. 

Dancing around the idea of conversation was doing them more harm than anything, so Louis finally bulked up and talked again. Mirroring their first conversation, he said, “Hi. I’m Louis.”

He could see Harry crack a smile from behind him, “Harry.”

The two were both smiling full force as Louis began speaking, “Look, Harry. I’m sorry, okay? I was just frustrated because I want to be your,” he choked on the word to foreign to the both of them, “friend, so I was just really upset that you didn’t show up, you know?”

The smile on Harry’s face didn’t drop, “I get it, Louis. Hey, I end work at 11 at night usually. If you wait outside the factory, I could probably be there, okay?”

All common sense drained out of Louis’ head, “Sure! See you then!” 

The smile on both of their face’s didn’t leave the whole day. 

(xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)

Louis probably should have had realized that his dad would never let him leave the house at 11 PM, but he didn’t, so Louis found himself thinking of a way to sneak out whilst his parent’s were sleeping. So far he had: simply walking out of the front door, screaming that there was a murder and running whilst his parents and sisters were distracted, saying he forgot something at the factory or praying that he had a fairy godmother just like that girl had in that story his mom read to him when he was a child. 

None of his ideas seemed to work, so Louis just found himself crawling out of a window on the first story of his house. The second his feet hit the ground, he was spiriting, navigating his way in the dark to the factory. By the time he reached the factory doors, Harry was already there, coughing into his hands and leaning against the large factory doors.

“Harry,” Louis called out, smiling and waving his hands as he ran to the boy, “You came!”

Harry laughed, still coughing a bit, “Course I did, Louis!”

Louis couldn’t keep the smile off his face at the innocence Harry had right now. It seemed once he escaped from the factory, he was free to make up the years he missed. 

“Come on Haz! Let’s go. Like I said before, we can go play on the couple of trees that are a few streets away,” Louis grinned even larger than before.

Harry nodded ecstatically as if he had never seen a tree before, “Just so you know, Lou, I have to be back at the factory in about two hours. That’s usually when they let my mom stop working.”

Louis pouted. He won’t have that much time with Harry. Nevertheless, it was better than no time at all, so he dragged Harry along, running him along the streets, until they reached the trees, “Here they are Haz!”

Harry’s eyes widened, “Wow, Lou. They’re beautiful.”

Louis was looking at Harry, stopping himself from clichely commenting, “Yeah, it really is.” He shot Harry a curious glance instead, “You act like you’ve never seen a tree before.”

“I haven’t,” Harry said frankly, “Well, I mean, not up close. I see them in the distance. The trees from the countryside, but that’s about as close to them I’ve gotten. Life in a factory isn’t what it’s cut out to be Louis.”

Louis frowned, “Well, at least we have each other, right? We can come out here everyday and talk and laugh with each other.”

Harry smiled at Louis, tears prickling his eyes, “Thanks Louis. You’re the only friend I’ve ever had.”

Louis felt butterflies in his stomach, and his face darkened red, “Same with you Harry!”

(xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)

Louis’ dad sensed something wasn’t the same when Louis was practically itching to go the factory, how he smiled every time he called Louis to come along with him. He just didn’t know what it was. He was ninety nine percent sure Louis remained by his side everyday at the factory. Had he missed something? 

“Louis, what’s going on?” 

Louis smiled at his dad. His head up in the clouds, “What are you talking about dad? Can I not just be happy?”

Mr. Tomlinson bit his lip, “Something’s up and I demand to know what it is this instant Louis William Tomlinson.”

“Dad it’s nothing, can we just go to the factory now?” Louis looked away, begging, “Please?”

He snapped, “That’s it. Louis, you aren’t going to the factory today. Maybe this way you will learn not to keep things from me.”

“No! Dad, please no!” Louis fell on his knees, groveling to his father, “Dad, please take me to factory.”

Unable to resist his son’s pleas, Mr. Tomlinson sighed, “Not today Louis. Tomorrow you can come back, but I need you to learn your lesson.”

Louis replicated his father’s sigh, knowing he couldn’t fight his dad. Watching his dad leave for the factory without going along with him killed him inside. Now he had to wait until 11 at night to see Harry! That was too much time without his best friend, but he would manage. Not for his sake, but for Harry’s. 

The endless tick of their grandfather clock in the kitchen kept Louis awake as he counted the seconds until he could see Harry. Louis didn’t know when he had become so entranced with Harry the person instead of the idea of Harry. What started with short and cryptic conversations had turned into something so much more; something intangible to those who were observing it from afar. 

So needless to say when 11 pm finally rolled around and his parents and sisters were completely asleep, Louis was crawling out of his window and quickly making his way to the front of the factory. He was worried Harry wouldn’t be there. What if Harry saw that he wasn’t at the factory and thought Louis hated him? What if Harry got a job at a new factory and Louis didn’t know because he didn’t go to the factory today?

The endless what ifs halted the second his eyes met with familiar emerald orbs, “Louis, I was worried. You weren’t at the factory today.”

Guilt weighed Louis down, “I’m so sorry Haz! My dad wouldn’t let me go. I begged him but he said no. I wanted to see you so bad. I just sat in my room all day waiting for my clock to say 11 so I could come out and meet you.”

A blush coated Harry’s cheeks, “I’m glad you’re here now, Lou. Let’s go?” Louis nodded and the two sprinted to the trees they had gone to for the last week or so.

“Harry, I’m really glad I met you, you know that right?” 

Harry nodded and smiled, “I’m really happy I met you too Louis. Gives me something besides my mom to work for.”

The pesky butterflies in Louis’ stomach returned again, his face matching Harry’s in color, “I live for you Harry. Everyday I wake up and think, ‘I get to see Harry today. It’s going to be a good day.’ My dad knows something’s up. Says I’m happier now than I ever have been. I wish I could tell him it’s all thanks to you.”

The red on Harry’s face darkened about a thousand shades, “Louis…”

The only thing that seemed appropriate to Louis at the time was to do what his mom and dad always did. His mom always said they did it to show that they loved and cared each other and Louis cared about Harry more than any other person in his life, so he shut his eyes, leaned in and closed the distance between their lips.

Harry seemed shocked at first, but settled into it. The two didn’t make any movements. It was just a small peck. 

When Louis pulled away and opened his eyes, the two boys were completely red, and Louis could only manage a smile, “I love you Harry.”

“Love you too Louis.”

(xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)

The next day when Louis dad took him to the factor, Louis was practically bouncing off the walls. The second his father got into his conversation with Zayn and his other business partners, Louis walked as fast as his legs could take him to what he dubbed, Harry’s machine. 

“Harry!” Louis called out, still giddy from the events that occurred last night, “I’m here today.”

Harry made no effort to move, his body hadn’t reacted; he just continued working out at his machine as if he had never heard Louis. The gloomy aura surrounding Harry just increased.

“Harry, did you hear me?” Louis spoke up, louder this time, “It’s me, Louis.”

Harry still remained silent, not looking up, unfazed by the smoke and sounds of the factory surrounding him.

“Haz you there?” When Louis got no response, he sighed. What was going on? What was wrong with Harry? Heaving a sigh one more time, he looked to the left of Harry, expecting to see Anne, but instead was met with blue eyes and blonde hair.

“Haz, where’s Anne?” Louis questioned hesitantly.

The name seemed to trigger something in Harry as the ground underneath them was soon coated in tear stains. Louis didn’t know what to do, but to wait until Harry’s shift was over and they could talk freely and Harry wasn’t figuratively chained to his machinery. All Louis could do until this was stand near Harry offering him, what he hoped was, a sense of comfort. 

Louis continued waiting for Harry outside the factory until the clock struck 11 and Harry was seen sprinting out of the factory, covering his eyes with his arms. Louis called after him, chasing him, “Haz wait, slow down.” Harry had seemed to listen, because by the time Harry had reached the trees he and Louis were so familiar with, he stopped running, collapsing on the ground.

“She’s dead, Lou. Dead. I knew it was coming. She was coughing more than usual. Caught Cholera and died. I’m next, Louis. I’m next.” he hiccuped as the tears fell from his eyes.

Louis wrapped Harry in his arms, patting his back, “Haz, babe, breathe. You’re going to make it through this okay? You have me. I won’t ever leave you. You won’t ever leave me. I love you. We stick together Harry.”

Harry seemed to settle in Louis’ arms, no longer hysteric. His choked breaths slowed down, “Lou, she’s gone. What am I going to do without her. I still have Gems, but she works at the other factory downtown, it’s not the same, Lou. I need my mom.” He thrashed in Louis’ arms, “I can’t do this Louis. I never thought it would be her. I thought I would go first. I can’t do this.”

“Shhh,” Louis patted his head, “Harry, listen to me. It’s going to be ok. You have to believe me.” Harry reluctantly nodded, “At church, they told me of this place called heaven. All the people who have done good in their life get to go up there and be happy. That’s where your mom is Harry. She’s happy. When we’re older, we get to join her and we can be happier than we already are, Harry.”

Harry started wiping his tears, “You’re sure she’s happy, Louis. She’s okay up there? She’s with the angels?” 

“She isn’t just with the angels Harry. She is an angel,” Louis smiled, kissing Harry’s temple, “Now come on, Harry, stand up with me.” Louis stood the both of them up, “Right here, this tree, will be a reminder of your mom and of our friendship okay?”

Harry tried to manage a laugh, “How could a tree represent that?”

Louis picked up a rock from the ground, “See this rock right here Haz?” Harry nodded, “We’re going to carve into this tree, so that the whole world knows.”

Harry nodded, watching as Louis carved into the tree, ‘RIP Anne Cox. You’re with the angels now,’ and directly below it, ‘HS and LT. Together Forever.’

“Together forever?” Harry questioned.

“Together forever,” Louis nodded, “This tree will always be standing and same with our friendship Harry!”

“Pinky promise?” Harry held out his finger.

Louis smiled and nodded again, “Pinky promise.”

The tree was chopped down the next day.

(xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)

Louis never expected a lot whenever he goes to the factory each day. The only thing he expected to see was Harry, so the fact that Harry hadn’t been to the factory today scared him. It scared him more than he had ever thought possible. He excused it though thinking maybe Harry had taken the day off to cope with his mother.

The next day Harry wasn’t there either. Nor was he the next day. Instead, a brown haired middle aged lad had taken his space.

“Um, excuse me?” Louis began, walking up to Harry’s old machine, “Where’s Harry?”

The man looked at him, tilting his head, “I’m sorry. I don’t know a Harry.”

The blonde that was working in Anne’s usual spot pipped up, “If you’re talking about the kid that normally works there, he’s gone.”

“Gone?” Louis asked, “Gone where?”

“He’s not here anymore, kid,” The blonde said with sympathy.

Louis felt his heart beginning to break, “Is he at another factory? Tell me where he is!”

The blonde’s pity for the young boy in front of him quadrupled, “Look, kid, I’m sorry, but your curly haired friend is dead. Swallowed up by the machine the other morning. No one could stop it. Happens all the time. I figure it will happen to me soon.”

“You’re lying.”

The blonde looked away, “I’m sorry. I’m not. They wouldn’t have brought in Liam here, ” he motioned to the man in front of Harry’s old machine, “if your friend was alive. I’m sorry kid.”

Louis blanched, tears free falling from his eyes. He turned on his feet, running as fast as he could out of the factory, tripping with every step he took, collapsing when he finally got outside the large factory doors, “Harry. Please don’t be gone. Don’t leave me for the angels. I still need you.”

His cries were only answered with silence.

“You promised me Harry. Together forever. Was that just a lie Haz?” Louis was hysteric, jabbing the pebbles near of the street into his leg, clawing his nails into his arm, “Don’t go Harry. I need you. I love you.” Louis ran until he reached the railroad track and heard the train. Perfect, he thought to himself. 

Laying himself out on the train tracks, he was ready. He could be an angel with Harry. Him and Harry could be happy again. Expecting a painful impact, Louis was shocked when all he felt was arms picking him up, “Harry, is that you?”

The person seemed scared to speak, “No, Louis, it’s me. Your dad.”

Louis squirmed in his arms, thrashing his body, trying to wiggle out of his father’s arms and back onto the tracks, “Let go of me! I have to be with Harry. Let me go. Let me die. Please dad.”

Louis’ dad kept his grasp on his son, “No, Louis. Your friend Harry’s gone. He wouldn’t want you to go too, Louis.”

Louis wouldn’t have, barely making out words in between his breaths, “Let me go dad. Let me go. I want to be with Harry. I don’t want to live without Harry. I love Harry, please dad,” his cries grew more silent, “just drop me. Let the train hit me. Make it look like an accident, please dad.”

Louis’ dad sighed, hoping that Louis would get over this, “Louis, you’re not going to die. Please Louis, you need to live.”

He whimpered, “But I don’t want to dad.”

His dad wiped his tears, “Let’s get you home, we can think about it there, Louis. You’re going to be okay.”

“No, don’t make me go home,” Louis cried, “don’t make me go. I want to be with Harry now. Dad.”

Ignoring Louis’ protest, his dad took him home and rested him on his bed, “Try to get some sleep, Louis.”

Louis broke down the second his father left the room, crying himself to sleep. 

When Louis’ dad went to check on him in the morning, he found Louis hung from the ceiling with a rope around his neck.

The smoke and pollution of Manchester remained and the familiar sound of the steam engine and railroads sounded in the background.

**Author's Note:**

> So I posted this on tumblr a while ago, but I really was just waiting until I finally got an AO3 account so I could post it on here. :)
> 
> Anyways, please tell me what you think!


End file.
